


First Order of Business

by alissabobissa



Category: Lost
Genre: Gen, Hurley is in charge, Post-Series, like directly after the finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 14:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20566214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alissabobissa/pseuds/alissabobissa
Summary: When Ben says, “So what’s the first order of business?” all Hugo can think is Dude, how should I know? Because he should know, right? He drank that water and he’s staring at the yellow light and he should know. Right?





	First Order of Business

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lint/gifts).

> Set post-series (like, directly after the finale action), this fic was originally written in 2010 for Lint who provided the prompt and watched the finale with me. :)

When Ben says, “So what’s the first order of business?” all Hugo can think is _Dude, how should I know?_ Because he should know, right? He drank that water and he’s staring at the yellow light and he should know. Right?  
  
Desmond is just lying there, out cold and probably dreaming of home. Jack is gone – like _really_ gone – and Ben is looking at him with those too big eyes with something akin to reverence and humility in them. It kinda freaks him out.  
  
“Stop looking at me, man. You’re freaking me out.” If it’s possible, Ben’s eyes get bigger.  
  
“I could go stand… over there,” he gestures almost lazily and walks out of the stream after the smallest nod of Hurley’s head. He just needs time to think, you know, without the pressure of expectations and the eyes and all that. So he stares at Desmond’s chest rising and falling, and he takes breaths with him for a few moments letting his mind concentrate on the rhythm and nothing else.  
  
_Okay, so business. First thing’s first. Stop just thinking the words!_ He should probably think about the basic necessities. Food, water, and shelter. He remembers reading somewhere that you have to have the necessities and feel safe before you can do anything else, like have ideas and stuff. _Hmm._ Hugo puts a finger in his mouth and absentmindedly starts biting the nail of his thumb.   
  
Maybe they should head for the Dharma houses or stay near that yellow light for a while? Maybe it will make him feel different, make him feel something other than alone. He chews a small sliver clean off the end of the nail and spits it out.  
  
“Being in charge sucks.” He mumbles it, but immediately looks around in a paranoid panic, like the Island might have heard it and would get angry. Smiling, he rolls his eyes at himself. It’s more likely one of his dead friends is lurking behind a tree, able to listen to anything whiney or self-indulgent he likely won’t be able to stop himself from saying.   
  
_Huh._ He is surprised he hadn’t already thought of that.   
  
When Ben appears, he jumps. “It’ll be dark soon, Boss. Might want to get moving.”  
  
“Boss?” Hugo can’t keep from chuckling.  
  
“Thought I’d try it out,” Ben says shrugging. “Not really us, huh?” They smile at each other and spend the next few minutes reviving Desmond and making sure he can walk.  
  
The light is fading fast, and soon they’ll need at least one torch. “We’re gonna need to stay around the light here for tonight. Maybe we could camp out on the beach?” No one objects, and Hurley thinks he sees Desmond grin. They walk along quickly without talking, Ben hacking away at a branch here and there.  
  
“This way,” Hurley tells them when Ben tries to lead them into a clearing. _Just through the stalks here… somewhere._ They could wait until morning, but they are so close and he’s supposed to take care of people and he knows he needs to do this now.  
  
They hear Vincent before they see him, and Hugo stoops to greet the dog with a scratch behind the ears and a belly rub. “Good to see you, Vincent. Now go on home to Rose and Bernard.” He barks once and runs off in the direction Hurley is pointing without further ado.  
  
“It’s just there, through the bamboo. We’ll need a fire.”   
  
“A fire? For what?” No one has to answer when Hurley stops suddenly in the middle of the bamboo field. It’s nearly dark, but the man lying there is easy to recognize.   
  
“I’ll start a fire,” Desmond tells them. Hurley nods and kneels down next to the body. It’s weird, but he thinks all the memories he has of Jack will come flooding into his vision. Like maybe he’ll see him in his suit running around plane wreckage or in a gym with a basketball in his hands or in a Dharma jumpsuit fixing a fence. But all Hugo sees is Jack’s face in front of him, his eyes closed and his features more relaxed than he’s ever seen them. _He’s Jack at his most Jack - his best Jack._ One hand on Jack’s chest and the other coming up to rub his face, he expects to find tears there, but instead there is a smile.  
  
“First order of business?” Ben asks. Hugo looks up at him and nods with a sad smile.  
  
  
/\/\/\/\  
  
  
Two hours later they are standing in the dark around a mound surrounded by bamboo, a torch lit and stuck in the ground on either side. Desmond’s head is bent and Ben looks straight ahead, his mind probably either completely void of thoughts or so full he can only stand still.  
  
The new protector of the island stands with his hands in his pockets some distance away from the other two men, watching the torches burn. “It’d be cool if we could have a beer or maybe some music.” He turns and smiles at the man beside him, unable to keep his eyes from going a little wide and from saying the next words. “Dude, this is so totally _Return of the Jedi_ right now.”  
  
His companion laughs and looks down. “It’s perfect. Thanks, Hurley.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Jack.” 


End file.
